Deeside Leisure Centre is the National Centre for Ice Sports in Wales. Energy efficiency was a key requirement when the building was redeveloped in 2011. The building envelope was transformed using Tata Steel’s Colorcoat^® products.

Installation of the  solar air heating system was a vital part of the solution. It provides renewable energy which has cut operating costs and reduced the leisure centre’s carbon footprint.

In its first full year of operation at Deeside Leisure Centre,   delivered 47 MWh of heat.

The requirement

To extend its use, Deeside Leisure Centre at Queensferry, Flintshire, was redeveloped in a £5 million project completed towards the end of 2011. In addition to being the National Centre for Ice Sports in Wales, it is now a mixed-use fitness and sports facility. It boasts an Olympic-size ice pad, skate park and spa. Other facilities include a fitness suite, 3G football pitches, eight-court sports hall and squash courts.

For the redevelopment of the centre, Flintshire County Council insisted on an exterior treatment that was sympathetic to the local environment. Efficient and effective use of water, energy and materials was another important provison.

“Flintshire County Council had identified energy supply issues as a key constraining factor in the redevelopment of the site,” explained Andy Allen, Tata Steel’s Sales Development Manager for Colorcoat Renew^®. “The existing electrical supply was at capacity and could not be increased so an energy reduction programme was essential to allow expansion of the facilities. A change in internal use also required a supply of clean, fresh, tempered air to provide the optimum environment for occupancy comfort.”

Following discussions with the Sustainable Building Envelope Centre (SBEC) at Shotton, Flintshire, the council’s Energy Management Team felt that an opportunity to use   would provide a novel, cost-effective, renewable energy solution – reducing operating costs and energy demand from the grid.

The solution

The south-facing elevation of the leisure centre was over-clad in Tata Steel’s C32 profile as part of the   solar air heating system. Using 216m² of  in Slate Grey, the micro-perforated C32 fascia was installed easily over the existing insulated wall cladding. Tata Steel’s R32 profile using Colorcoat Prisma^® in Oyster was additionally installed over the leisure centre’s existing roof cladding.

  is an active solar air heating system that uses the sun to generate fresh, heated air. It uses a perforated   building fascia as a collector to capture and absorb the sun’s energy. This is then converted into useable, clean, green heat.

A straightforward and low-cost solution to achieving carbon reduction and energy efficiency targets, Colorcoat Renew SC^® is primarily suited to buildings where ventilated, fresh air is used to deliver space heating. It can be fitted quickly to any building that has a requirement for daytime space heating. Installed onto south-facing walls using standard cladding techniques, it is a highly efficient renewable energy system.

Tata Steel has a dedicated team of construction specialists to help customers optimise use of Colorcoat Renew SC^® – advising on all aspects of its design, integration and performance. SBEC Project Manager, Neil Eccles, said:

“  provides a functional performance of 25 years – with the added benefit of low maintenance costs. The product’s aesthetics were also well-suited to Deeside Leisure Centre. The low visual impact of the pre-finished steel collector of Colorcoat Renew SC^® can exactly match the profile of the cladding behind it so that it blends with the whole building – providing a renewable energy solution that pleases both the local community and planners alike.”

Proven performance

In its first full year of operation at Deeside Leisure Centre,  delivered 47 MWh of heat. This equates to 218 kWh per square metre of the installed solar collector area.

By gaining fuller experience of system control and operation, Deeside Leisure Centre personnel in conjunction with Tata Steel were able to extend the Colorcoat Renew SC^® system operating hours to optimise use of the available solar radiation. In its second full year of operation the system delivered approximately 53 MWh of renewable heat energy at an average yield of 244 kWh per square metre per year.

This means that over a two-year period the Colorcoat Renew SC^® system delivered an average of 50 MWh of energy per year at conversion efficiencies (solar energy to useable heat energy) averaging in excess of 70 per cent. With continued experience of system operating conditions, ongoing   energy yield at Deeside Leisure Centre can reasonably be expected to remain in the region of 250 kWh annually per square metre of the installed collector area.

The renewable heat provided translates into estimated savings of approximately 11 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually. Payback on investment is expected well within ten years.

Will Pierce, Energy Manager for Flintshire County Council, commented: “Tata Steel’s comprehensive approach has transformed the building’s energy needs and appearance, facilitating increased attendance and worthwhile future energy cost savings.”

Andy Allen said:

“Tata Steel’s close involvement in the Deeside Leisure Centre refurbishment was the first big project to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to transforming the building envelope – from a passive energy conservation role to one of active, efficient and affordable energy generation. Colorcoat Renew SC^® was cost-effective to install and has delivered two-fold benefits at Deeside. It has re-invigorated the elevations of a tired-looking building. By providing renewable energy, combined with low maintenance costs, it is also reducing the centre’s operating costs on an annual basis.”

Client: Flintshire County Council
Installation contractors: Lester Fabrications (wall); Kimpton Building Systems (M&E)
Tata Steel products:  solar air heating system with microperforated C32 profile solar collector. Installed vertically over a C32 wall profile.